The Motive

"The Motive: Why So Many Leaders Abdicate Their Most Important Responsibilities" by Patrick Lencioni delves into the fundamental reasons behind leadership and the motivations that drive leaders. Lencioni explores the dichotomy between reward-centered and responsibility-centered motivations for leading, emphasizing the importance of understanding why one chooses to be a leader. The book presents a day-long conversation between rival CEOs, providing insights into the challenges and decisions faced by leaders in understanding their motives for leadership. Lencioni's storytelling approach makes complex leadership concepts easily understandable and actionable, offering valuable insights that have the power to transform both individuals and organizations. The book addresses the uncomfortable truth about the motives behind leadership and highlights the consequences of abdicating core leadership responsibilities. It emphasizes the five core responsibilities that reward-centered leaders tend to delegate, abdicate, or ignore, such as developing the leadership team, managing subordinates, having difficult conversations, running effective team meetings, and maintaining constant and repetitive communication with employees. The book provides a roadmap for leaders to discover their true purpose and ignite passion within their teams, offering a lighthearted yet impactful exploration of the importance of selfless leadership.